FULL CIRCLE DOUGHNUT

INT. SCREENED PORCH - MORNING

Caesar the Dog has a round loop of rawhide in his mouth, a section chewed out, representing the letter "C". It's known as the "doughnut". Chewing voraciously, he steps just within Brian's reach, tempting him to take the bait.

BRIAN
You giving me that doughnut, Caesar? Good boy!

BRIAN (V.O.)
Nothing like a doughnut in the morning, a leather one at that.
(beat)
Several months ago, we bought a little rawhide pack full of different shapes and sizes. There was this small ring in there, and that was Caesar's favorite: the doughnut. It was neat to see him so thrilled over such a simple thing. It's really just another piece of rawhide but the shape is very unique. In no time he figured out how to remove the tab that binds both ends; he could have the doughnut ripped apart in one hour.

We pick these up on our Friday night grocery trip. Yes, we shop on Friday night, because we're married and like going into the weekend with a full "frig". Plus, there's not a lot else to do in this town except eat and go to the occasional movie.

We started a ritual with Caesar, telling him to "be good" while we're gone and we'll bring him a doughnut. He clearly understands, going to his kennel and waiting. When we get back he's really excited, sitting perfectly in front of my Lovely Wife so she can unpack the doughnut and hand it over. It's his thrill of the week.

On one grocery run we were disappointed to see that they were out of the doughnuts. I searched through several packs and found one inside, but it was a very small version, a mini-doughnut if you will. Unveiled at home, Caesar could have cared less, it was round and made of rawhide, all the same to him, he ran off with it in his mouth, ecstatic as ever.

Lately, we've been able to get the full-sized version again. He's changed his habit: instead of tearing it up in one hour he stretches it over a week. Just when you think it is gone he appears with a half-chewed shape from his secret hiding place, like he did this morning.

In relation to screenwriting, our scripts are like the doughnut. Sometimes we spill out a scene as fast as Caesar eats one. Other times, we play with it a bit, then pull it out later, getting enthused again. And like the dog, we have some hidden, unfinished pieces laying around that only need a few more bites to complete. We ought to try to finish the leftovers, coming full circle, otherwise they might end up in a box, in the trash, like several of Caesar's small, unfinished tidbits of leather.

Good luck in your writing.